ShowBiz

Los Angeles, Oct 4 (IANS) Actress Taissa Farmiga, who played the role of sister Irene in the 2018 horror movie 'Nun', is all set to return in the second installment of the film titled 'The Nun 2'.

Farmiga will star alongside Storm Reid, who was recently announced to join the New Line franchise. The original 'Nun' movie, which followed Farmiga's Sister Irene as she fought alongside Demian Bichir's Father Burke to fend off the possession of the demon nun Valek in 1952 Romania, debuted in 2018 and earned $366 million worldwide on the way to becoming the top grossing in the franchise to date, reports Variety.

The film was a spinoff of 2016's 'The Conjuring 2', which starred Farmiga's older sister Vera, who has fronted three 'Conjuring' films, turning the horror franchise into a bit of a family affair.

'The Nun 2' will be directed by Michael Chaves, who helmed the seventh and most recent entry, 2021's 'The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It'.

Akela Cooper wrote the screenplay with current revisions by Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing.

James Wan and Peter Safran also continue their run on 'The Conjuring' films, producing the new movie under their respective banners Atomic Monster and The Safran Company, like they've done the previous seven installments. Judson Scott will oversee the production for Atomic Monster with Michael Clear and Gary Dauberman executive producing.

'The Nun 2' is set for release on September 8, 2023.

--IANS
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Los Angeles, Oct 4 (IANS) Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo are "doing great" amid their cheating scandal.

The 34-year-old model is expecting her third child with her Maroon 5 star husband, and although he had recently been accused of messaging other women in a flirtatious manner, she still turned up to support him at The Event fundraiser hosted by Shaquille O'Neal Foundation, where he played a 40-minute set, reports aceshowbiz.com.

A source told JustJared, "Behati was there and things are clearly great between her and Adam, she watched from a stool to the side of the stage and he sang directly to her at one point. When 'Girls Like You' came on, Behati was bouncing around with her friends. She was visible to the audience and smiling and laughing. Everything is all good there."

The comments come just days after it was claimed that Behati is "upset" following accusations that he has been "flirtatious" with several other women, the pair are reported "happily married" even though she has been stunned by his actions.

A source said, "Behati is upset but she does believe him that there was no physical affair. They have been together this entire time. She feels they are happily married and is shocked to find out what was going on behind her back."

The "Payphone" hitmaker has so far been accused of sending flirtatious text messages to four women and, although one of them accused him of having a physical affair with her, the insider went on to explain that while there are "no excuses" for his behaviour, Levine is "upset" that his family have been "hurt".

The insider said, "There are no excuses for his inappropriate behaviour but he says it was nothing physical. He's disappointed in himself and upset that he has hurt his family like this. It's a wake-up call and has made him realize that he has a lot to work on."

--IANS
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By Sukant Deepak
New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS) "I have always trusted my gut. There is no system or rule that I follow, be it for theatre or cinema. The key is to focus completely on the character and work at hand. The process may be different for each project, and that is where the challenge lies. You find a new process for each project," actor Rajit Kapur tells IANS.


Recently seen opposite Neena Gupta in Pushan Kripalani's film 'Threshold' on Hotstar, the actor, known for his portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in 'The Making of the Mahatma' for which he won the National Award for Best Actor, and 'Byomkesh Bakshi' aired on Doordarshan, made his film debut with 'Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda' (1992) directed by Shyam Benegal.

Talking about his experience in 'Threshold', Kapur says, "I have known Pushan for a very long time and he always comes up with extraordinary stuff. There's a different kind of synergy working with someone who you already have a basic trust with. It always helps to push yourself more."

Lamenting that crime thrillers and whodunit have taken over OTT platforms, the actor says that they are easy to write and any content that is more engaging or difficult to pen is also difficult to execute.

"So, either we are not willing to put that effort or not in the mood to pay for that effort. They do not want to do either of these things -- as a result, the charm of OTT, the midway between TV and film is beginning to go away. And it is going the television way."

Kapur, who is active on the Mumbai theatre scene, says that things have become tough lately and it is now difficult to do regular shows. Adding that the per unit cost of hiring everything has doubled, he asserts, "People are still not going all out to the theatre. And it is a problem. Even the corporates are also facing their own issues and everyone is struggling to come back on their feet."

While during the pandemic-induced lockdowns, he did dabble in digital performances, the actor maintains, "It just cannot replace the magic of live at all. We attempted it as there was time on our hands, it was something new to learn. But frankly, it is not something I would like to do."

Unlike many theatre persons, Kapur does not believe that there is a dearth of young playwrights in the country. He feels the problem is that no one is willing to give them a chance.

"They want to learn, but who is ready to pay and allow them to showcase their work? The auditoriums are finding it difficult to survive, and so are the producers. Even people like us who have been doing theatre for the past three decades are finding it tough to stay afloat."

When it comes to independent cinema, Kapur feels the absence of state support has made things tough for young filmmakers.

"Of course, one could raise money through crowd-funding but it is very tough to sell a film today. There are so many films that are just waiting to be sold off/distributed or screened. Supply is in huge excess. Who is going to buy them?" concludes Kapur, who will be devoting the next three months to theatre and will be starting on a film post-January 15.

(Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in)

--IANS
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Ayodhya, Oct 4 (IANS) An artist playing the role of 'Ravan' in a Ramlila function in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya district died on stage of cardiac arrest.

This comes a day after a 50-year-old man playing the role of 'Hanuman' died during his performance in 'Lanka Dahan' episode of Ramlila in Fatehpur district.

The 60-year-old artist, Patiram, was enacting the role of 'Ravan' during the episode of 'Sita Haran' in Aihar village of Ayodhya when he clutched his chest due to pain.

Before anybody could react, he collapsed on stage.

The staging of Ramlila was immediately stopped and Patiram was rushed to a nearby hospital by the members of the Ramlila committee but the doctors declared him 'brought dead'.

Doctors confirmed cardiac arrest to be the cause of his death.

Village Head, Puneet Kumar Sahu said that Patiram had been playing the role of Ravan for many years.

He is survived by wife Devmati, two sons and two daughters, one of whom is married.

In a similar incident earlier, Ram Swaroop ,50, who was playing the role of Hanuman, died after suffering a cardiac arrest during his performance in Salempur village of Fatehpur district. The video of the incident also went viral on social media.

--IANS
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Chennai, Oct 3 (IANS) Actress Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, who has relocated to Hyderabad, has congratulated her dad Sarathkumar, who plays the role of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar in director Mani Ratnam's just released magnum opus 'Ponniyin Selvan 1', saying that he was "just uber cool" in the film.

Taking to Twitter, Varalaxmi wrote: "What a film... Kudos to the entire star cast! Simply outstanding. Daddy Sarath Kumar, you were just uber cool. Subtle yet strong!"

The actress also praised the performances of Trisha and Jayam Ravi who play the roles of Kundavai and Arun Mozhi Varman respectively in the film.

She said: "Trisha and Jayam Ravi -- so proud of you both. You played your roles with so much elegance and strength. Maniratnam sir has made us all so proud."

The film, which released on Friday, has been garnering great reviews and is doing exceptionally well at the box office.

The film, which is based on the literary classic 'Ponniyin Selvan' by eminent writer Kalki, has grossed over Rs 200 crore worldwide in a span of just three days.

--IANS
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By Olivia Sarkar
New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANSlife) The second half of September has brought a good mix of genres, ranging from horror fantasies to teen dramas to long-awaited biopics. We've compiled a list of new shows and films to round out your October binge-watching marathon.


Do Revenge
Drea, a popular girl, has the perfect high school life until her boyfriend ruins it by leaking her sex tape to the entire school, and now she wants vengeance! When she meets Eleanor, an exchange student who is haunted by a rumour spread by one of her classmates, the two form a team to take down their respective nemesis. They even joke about murdering their tormentors, but will they go so far? You'll have to watch to find out what this crazy teen revenge drama is all about.

Jogi
When two Sikh men assassinated Indira Gandhi, public sentiment toward the entire Sikh community shifted overnight, and people became hostile toward them. Jogi, a Diljit Dosanjh-starrer set during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, tells the story of a Sikh man determined to save his family, friends, and fellow members from a massacre that killed thousands of Sikhs.

Blonde
The much-anticipated biopic follows the rise to fame and tragic demise of one of the world's most famous people, Marilyn Monroe. We're excited to see Ana de Armas transform into the iconic star on screen after she received a 14-minute standing ovation for her performance at the Venice Film Festival.

The Good Doctor Season 5
If you're a fan of the hit medical drama and haven't seen the most recent season yet, there's no need to wait any longer. Dr. Shaun is available on Netflix. And here's how The Good Doctor Season 5's plot synopsis reads: "Shaun and Lea make a major life decision and are pleasantly surprised by the outpouring of support from their hospital friends."

Hush Hush
In the upcoming crime drama, Juhi Chawla, Ayesha Jhulkha, Soha Ali Khan Pataudi, Kritika Kamra, Shahna Goswami, and Karishma Tanna star. "Hush Hush revolves around a group of women whose picture-perfect lives unravel when an unexpected event brings to light secrets from their past and threatens everything they hold dear." The story "explores the storm that brews behind the seemingly quiet façade of these women's privileged lives, knitted in a web of lies, deceit, and fighting patriarchy," according to the synopsis.

Hocus Pocus 2
If you grew up in the 1990s, we're sure you've been waiting for this one. After nearly 30 years, your favourite trio of witches has returned to spook you. In Hocus Pocus 2, Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker reprise their roles as the Sanders sisters. What is the plot? Three teenagers bring the Sanderson Sisters back from the dead to modern-day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from destroying the entire town.

Plan A Plan B
Tamannaah Bhatia works as a matchmaker and believes that marriage is for everyone except herself. Riteish Deshmukh is a successful divorce attorney who harbours a dark secret. Will they fall in love when they meet?

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

--IANS
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Mumbai, Oct 3 (IANS) Telugu actor Nikhil Siddhartha, who got a lot of positive response for his pan-India release, 'Karthikeya 2', is a huge fan of the Badshah of Bollywood - Shah Rukh Khan, by his own admission.

Nikhil has been a part of 'Karthikeya 1' and 'Karthikeya 2' and will also be seen in 'Karthikeya 3'.

The actor, who started his journey in the film industry as an assistant director, and emerged as a successful actor with 'Karthikeya 2', recently shared, "I am a huge Shahrukh Khan fan from the 'Fauji' and 'Circus' (television shows) time."

He said that he has seen every single interview of Shah Rukh Khan to understand what it takes to be an outsider and still rule the hearts of millions across the world, "I have watched every interview of his and learnt how he came from outside and became the King of Bollywood."

After its theatrical run, 'Karthikeya 2' will soon be streaming on ZEE5 from October 5. The movie did good business in both the Northern and Southern belts. The actor has a mesmerising line-up of films in the coming year and will be seen next in 'Spy', a larger-than-life action thriller.

--IANS
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Mumbai, Oct 3 (IANS) 'Bigg Boss 16' contestant Archana Gautam had a heated conversation with the captain of the house Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia in the latest episode of the reality show. She in fact went on to write 'Bekaar' on the forehead of Nimrit after the fight.

While Bigg Boss has announced Nimrit as the captain of the house, her job is to divide different duties among the contestants. Initially, she had asked Archana to cook for the housemates and she was happy as she loves cooking.

But later, Nimrit removed her from her duty saying there are already six people to do that. This made her furious.

"You have given me the job to cook food and I just loved it. Why are you taking away this responsibility? I just loved it."

To this Nimrit replied: "I am a captain and I can change the duties whenever I want." To which Archana retorted: "Yes you are a captain and you can give tasks but you just cannot keep changing the duties."

Sumbul Touqeer Khan and Tina Datta also supported Nimrit saying she is a captain and everyone has to do whatever she says. But Archana refused to listen to them.

Meanwhile, Bigg Boss has started playing his game and he gave prank calls to the contestants and also gave them certain specific tasks to perform.

Like he called the contestant and actor Shalin Bhanot as Aamir Khan and asked him to take a dip in the pool and he jumped thrice. While Gautam Vig received a prank call in the name of Hritik Roshan and asked him to go shirtless and show his body and do his signature step from the movie 'Kaho Na Pyar Hai' in each of the bedrooms.

While Sonu Nigam's prank call was picked by Tina and she was asked to sing the song 'Dil Deewana Bin Sajna Ke' from 'Maine Pyar Kiya' starring Salman Khan and Bhagyashree. And the last call in the voice of Pankaj Tripathi was for Archana and he asked her to go and write 'Bekaar' on the forehead of a person whom she feels is useless and she took a lipstick and rushed towards Nimrit and told her that she was given the task to write 'Bekaar' on her forehead.

But Nimrit didn't allow Archana to touch her but she did the task anyway. Nimrit was upset with this and told her that many of the housemates didn't like the tea she prepared but still she didn't tell Archana as she never wanted to hurt her but she took no time in hurting her sentiments.

'Bigg Boss 16' airs on Colors.

--IANS
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Chennai, Oct 3 (IANS) Ace director Boyapati Sreenu is to next work with actor Ram Pothineni on a film that is to be produced by well known producer Srinivasaa Chhitturi.

An official announcement regarding the film, which the makers said was tentatively being referred to as 'BoyapatiRapo', was made on Monday.

The makers' surprise announcement took social media by storm and got several fans excited and eager for updates.

The makers also went on to say that further updates regarding the film will be put out on October 5, the festival day of Dussehra.

Sources close to the unit of the film say that Boyapati Sreenu has come up with a story loaded with mass elements and that both the producer and the actor were thrilled by it.

The yet-to-be titled movie will be made on a lavish budget by Srinivasaa Silver Screen. Pavan Kumar will be presenting the film.

--IANS
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Mumbai, Oct 3 (IANS) Actor Karan Deol shares his excitement on sharing screen space with his father and Bollywood star Sunny Deol in 'Apne 2', a sequel to the 2007 sports drama 'Apne' starring veteran actor Dharmendra and his sons.

Karan, who was seen in his father's directorial 'Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas', talks about his experience working with Sunny.

He said: "The climax is here. The final read of 'Apne' starts with Neeraj Sir and my father who will also be my co-star. No bigger dream than this where I am getting not only to work with him but also to share the screen space with him."

He added on how he has put all his efforts to give his best and he is looking ahead to the response of the viewers.

"The experience till now has been amazing. I have indulged myself so much into the script that I cannot wait to go on floors for the shoot."

'Apne 2' is all set to go on floors soon. Sunny Deol is also shooting for a sequel to 2001 film 'Gadar' and 'Soorya' is also in the pipeline.

--IANS
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